Nuremberg - The Nurnberger Christkindlesmarkt

The Christmas Marts at Nuremberg were just listed by

CNN as one of the top 15 places to go to celebrate Christmas,

and we are here!  This city pulls in over 2 million visitors for

this event each year.  

One of the celebrated centerpieces is their two story old

fashioned carousel in the children's section.

Nuremberg is a very old city, first being mentioned in records

in 1050 AD, and it was the center of the German Renaissance,

so there are beautiful old buildings, churches and a castle to visit here.

Much of Nuremberg was bombed during WWII, so much of it

has been rebuilt, and it is a quaint and varied cobblestoned city.

Nuremberg has a Christmas Market Council, that 

according to CNN, makes sure that "only traditional handmade

toys and holiday goods are sold." in their red stripe canopied

stalls.  We had just experienced a few blocks of stalls in

Paris on Champs Elysees, and although they were charming

and varied stalls, many looking like Swiss Chalets, the goods

they had to offer seemed pretty cheap.

Here, there are so may stalls and we have had two days

of sampling our way through them - the food ones,

that is!

These are chocolates - coated with cocoa powder to look

like rusty tools.  Hubby wouldn't believe us that these were actually 

chocolates!

We were super healthy today - we ate

11 mini meals - or let's just say we grazed all day long!!

The top left photo is the famous Nuremberger Bratwurst

with three little tiny sausages put in a hard bun.  They

have mustard available if you like.  It is hot and delicious

on a cold day.

We visited churches, saw ornaments galore, rode in what

was like a royal carriage around town - they blew the trumpet

every so often and people waved at us as we drove by.

We shopped and shopped and took pictures, and ate some more.

The St. Lawrence church was rebuilt after WWII bombings and

is just stunning.  We spent a long time in there, enjoying the beauty

and handiwork of those who have gone before.

I could just fill my suitcase with so many tempting things.

I loved the way they hung ornaments to show them off.

The architecture is so quaint and varied.  It makes for

a very charming city.

They decorate with fresh trees everywhere, inside and

outside.  There are fresh trees along sidewalks.  It is just

so charming.

We also enjoyed incredible meals.  We asked the staff at

the hotel for a recommendation.  We did this everywhere,
asking locals for a recommendation and felt we had a
huge treat every time.

This was the Heilig Crist Spital Restaurant, located here - 

just above the water - how charming.

 It was up a grand stone staircase, and

inside it looked like a royal hunting lodge all decked

out for Christmas.  Truly charming.  I went back
the next day to get some photos as it was dark
and packed with people at night.

They had some Christmas features, so we tried some.  This

was a fried Camembert cheese with cranberry whipped cream.

I would never have thought of pairing the two, but it was amazing.

 This is a cheesy spaetzle dish is also off the

Christmas menu. It was

like a macaroni and cheese dish but with spaetzle.  We also enjoyed

a tomato orange soup that was marvelous.  It had some Christmas

spices in it, like clove and cinnamon.  We had beef in a gingerbread

sauce and a pork roast with a huge dumpling. 

This was a gingerbread souffle with walnut ice cream that

we had at another restaurant.  The food here has been

amazing.

 Although this may look like more food, this is actually

a miniature that I had to purchase from a charming

shop owner.  The stores in Nuremberg are as amazing

as the Christmas Mart, and we have had a lot of fun

in the stores too.  

I have always wanted to go to Germany.  My  great grandfather

was from this Bavarian region of Germany, and I can see

why they moved to Wisconsin, as driving along the highway

it looked very much like driving along the highways in 

Wisconsin, except for the red tiled roof villages everywhere.

Der Beck was our favorite bakery. This chocolate covered

croissant was also filled with loads of chocolate.

We tried all kinds of treats, every day, but split them five

ways, which made us able to really taste our way through

the marts.

Another favorite -Kusses - huge creamy marshmallow

kisses with a cookie bottom.

What a treat Nuremberg has been, and the weather

has been in the high 40's and low 50's with just

a little drizzle today.  I couldn't ask for nicer

weather, as everyone is getting dumped on

with snow at home.